Centrifugal separator



March 1l, 1958 w. A. scoT'r 2,826,355

' CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR I- Filed Dec. 25, 1952 IQ N 53 @gli lll/IIA, n I?. :EL

VAI

ATTORNEYJ United States Patent O CENTRIFUGAL SEPARA'I'OR Walter A. Scott, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., assigner to The De Laval Separator Company, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 23, 1952, Serial No. 327,545

Claims. (Cl. 233-1) This invention relates to centrifugal separators of the type having a supply can for holding the milk or other liquid to be separated and delivering it through a spigot, or the like, to the centrifugal bowl. lt has for its principal object the provision of an improved centrifuge of this type in which the supply can is readily set to and held at the desired vertical position, so that the spigot will be properly located above and close to the usual covers of the centrifugal bowl, and in which the supply can is easily movable to withdraw the spigot laterally from its normal bowl-feeding position without interference from the covers, to permit removal of the covers for cleaning or other purposes.

in cream separators of the smaller sizes, the feed to the centrifugal howl is usually delivered from a supply can mounted on the centrifuge frame and having a spigot adapted to direct the feed into a stationary inlet cover forming a passage leading downward into the bowl.. This cover is usually nested on top of stationary collecting covers resting on the frame around the bowl and arranged to receive the separated cream and skim milk, respectively, from the bowl. lt is desirable that the spigot of the supply can be positioned as close as possible to the inlet cover, in order to prevent splashing of the feed. as it enters the inlet cover and to prevent possible contamination of the feed. On the other hand, it is alsoy desirable to remove the inlet and collecting covers frequently for cleaning purposes, but this cannot be done conveniently without displacing the spigot of the Isupply can from its overlying feed position. The most convenient way of enabling removal of the inlet and supply covers is to rotate the supply can so as to displace its spigot laterally from its feed position. However, if the spigot in its feed position is at about the level of the top of the inlet cover, which is desirable for the reasons previously mentioned, this cover will or is apt to interfere with the spigot in the rotational movement of the supply can.

The problem is further complicated by the fact that it is desirable to provide for Vertical adjustment of the supply can relative to the frame, since in the initial assembly of the separator it is necessary that the supply can spigot be located very accurately vertical-wise with respect to the stationary covers, in spite of manufacturing tolerances, etc.

The present invention provides a simple and compact construction for meeting this problem.

A centrifugal separator made according to the present invention comprises interitting plug and socket members, one of which is secured to the bottom of the supply can, and the other of which, preferably the plug member, is secured to the upper end of a post element supported in the frame. The post element is rotatably supported by a mounting element which is movable vertically in the frame and has a vertically sliding lit with the post element. The plug and socket members are releasable from each other to permit lifting of the can from the plug member and its supporting post, and these members have releasable inter-fitting parts normally holding the supply can in a predetermined angular position relative to the plug member. A horizontal projection on one of the post and mounting elements engages a notched horizontal surface on the other of these elements to support the post element and the supply can vertically, the projection and surface being relatively -slidable to permit rotation of the post element relative to its mounting element. The' frame has means for securing the mounting element in a predetermined vertical position relative to the frame so as to locate the supply can spigot vertically over the inlet cover when this projection is engaged in the notch in the horizontal surface. in this way, rotation of the supply can swings the spigot laterally of the underlying covers and simultaneously lifts the can as the projection slides out of the notch, thereby raising the spigot relative to the covers. rfhus, it is possible, by proper vertical adjustment of the mounting element, to locate the spigot vertically so that in its feeding position it is at or slightly below the level of the top of the inlet cover; and yet when the supply can is rotated to displace the spigot laterally from the covers, the inlet cover will not interfere with the spigot movement because the supply can is lifted as the horizontal projection moves out of the notch in which it is engaged in the feeding position.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which the single illustration is a vertical sectional view of a preferred form of the separator.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 10 designates a frame casting for the separator. The frame has on one side an arcuate vertical Wall 11 merging at its lower portion with an angular wall 12 forming a well containing a centrifugal howl i3. The bowl 13, which may be of conventional construction, is mounted for rotation and driven by a central shaft 14. At the opposite side of the frame casting liti is an elevated table 16 for supporting a supply can 1'?, which holds the milk or other liquid to be supplied to the bowl 13 through the open top thereof. The supply can has at the bottom a spigot 1S normally overlying the top of the centrifugal bowl and provided with a valve cock 18a. The table 16 is supported by and integral with the arcuate wall 11 and an arcuate wall 19 of the frame 10. The wall 19 J merges with the walls 11 and 12 and forms therewith a substantially closed space 2t) below the table 16.

Although the frame llt) ha-s been described as being cast in one piece, the entire frame may be made from separate component parts secured together in any suitable manner, and it may take other forms than that described.

Above the centrifugal bowl 13 is the usual inlet cover 22 for receiving the liquid delivered through the overlying spigot 18 of the supply can. The cover 22 contains the usual float 22a for controlling the gravity flow of liquid through the feed passage 22b into the bowl. Below the cover 22, and surrounding the bowl, are receptacle or collecting covers 23 and 24 for receiving, respectively, the separated liquid components discharged from the bowl 13. The covers 22, 23 and 24 are nested together and rest upon a ledge 2S of the frame surrounding the bowl 13.

The bottom of the supply can 17 is provided with a recessed center ring 27 secured by welding or soldering and forming a socket. The recess in socket 27 is closed at the top, as shown as 27a, and has vertical side walls 28 tapered so as to give a larger diameter to the open bottom of the socket. A hollow plug 29 fits into the socket 27. The sides of the plug have a taper complementary t0 that of the socket walls 28, so that the plug has a sliding t in the socket. The reduced upper end and being slidable vertically therein.

of the plug engages the closed upper end 27a of the socket. At one side of the plug member 29 is a hole 30 which loosely receives a locating pin .31 secured to the socket end Wall 27a. The plug and socket members 27 and 29 are releasable to permit lifting of the supply can from the plug 29; but the can may be replaced on the plug 29 in only one position, since such replacement requires engagement of pin 31 in the hole 30. Thus, the pin 31 and hole 3G constitute releasable intertting parts of the plug and socket, which assure proper alignment of the spigot 18 with the inlet cover 22.

At the center of the plug 29, a cylindrical bearing post element 32 is fastened by means of a tongue 33. The post element 32 is supported for rotation within a vertical mounting element 34 in the form of a bushing in the table 16, the post extending through the bushing The bushing 34 has diametrically opposed notches 35 in its periphery at the exposed upper end 34a thereof, the notches being adapted to receive the ends of a transverse projection or pin 36 in the post 32. With the pin 36 thus engaged in the notches 3S, rotation of plug 29 is resisted; but the supply can 17 and plug 29 can nevertheless be rotated by forcibly turning them slightly so as to displace the pin 36 from notches 3S. In this way, the spigot 18 is swung laterally of the inlet cover 22 and at the same time is raised due to the cam action between the pin 36 and notches 35.

To adjust the spigot 18 to its proper height, the bushing 34 is adjusted vertically within its aperture 37 in table 16, so that the spigot 18 just clears the top edge of the inlet cover 22 when the pin 36 is resting on the un notched part of the upper surface of bushing 34. A set screw 38 at one side of table 16 is then screwed tightly against the side of bushing 34. A hole is then drilled through table 16 and bushing 34 so as to admit a locating pin 39. With the pin 39 in position, the rotatable post element 32 for supporting the supply can 17 is held permanently at the proper height adjustment.

It will be understood that in the initial assembly of the centrifuge, the bushing 34 can be adjusted vertically,

t and also rotated in its aperture 37 before it is clamped by the releasable securing means or screw 38 and then locked by pin 39. This permits the aforementioned vertical adjustment of the can spigot 18 relative to inlet cover 22, and also permits angular adjustment of the diametrically opposed notches 35 in the bushing so that the spigot is properly located laterally of the covers when the pin 36 is engaged in these notches, that is, when the spigot is in its feed position. When the supply can is rotated on post 32 to displace the spigot from its feed position, as previously described, the covers 22, 23

and 24 may be easily lifted from the frame and removed. While I have shown the notched horizontal surface 34a as being located on the bushing element 34, and

the projection 36 as being located on the post element 32,

it will be apparent that their locations can be reversed. In other words, the post could be recessed to form a downward-facing horizontal notched surface resting upon an internal projection of the bushing. Other modications can be made in the structure without departing k from the substance of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a centrifugal separator having a frame, a centrifugal bowl rotatable on the frame, stationary covers on the frame at least partly surrounding and overlying the bowl and providing a passage for feeding to the bowl a liquid to be separated, and a supply can for holding said liquid and including a spigot for delivering the liquid into said feed passage, the improvement which comprises in terlitting plug and socket members one of which is secured to the bottom of the supply can, a vertical mounting element slidable vertically in the frame, a post element rotatably supported by the mounting element and movable vertically relative thereto, the other of said members being secured to the upper end portion of the post element, the plug and socket members being releasable from each other to pennit lifting of the can from said other member, and said members having releasable intertting parts normally holding the can in a predetermined angular position relative to said other member, a horizontal projection on one of said elements engaging a notched horizontal surface of the other element to support the post element and supply can vertically, said projection and surface being relatively slidable to permit rotation of the post element relative to the mounting element, and means securing the mounting element in a predetermined vertical position relative to the frame, to locate the can spigot vertically over the feed passage when said projection is engaged in the notch in said surface, whereby rotation of the can swings the spigot laterally of said covers and simultaneously lifts the can as said projection slides out of said notch, to raise the spigot relative to the covers.

2. The improvement according to claim l, in which said socket member is a ring secured to the bottom of the supply can.

3. The improvement according to claim 1, in which said plug and socket members have a tapered tit.

4. The improvement according to claim l, in which said horizontal projection is on the post element and rests upon said horizontal notched surface forming the upper end of the mounting element.

5. The improvement according to claim l, in which the mounting element is rotatable in the frame, said securing means being releasable to permit vertical and angular adjustment of the mounting element.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

